F1 Hungarian Grand Prix: Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two at sodden Hungaroring

Budapest, July 28: Lewis Hamilton took pole ahead of Valtteri Bottas as Mercedes took advantage of wet conditions to lock out the front row at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Toto Wolff said he thought Mercedes' fortunes had changed after Hamilton and Bottas gave the Silver Arrows a one-two at Hockenheim last weekend following Sebatian Vettel's crash.

They were counting their blessings again on Saturday when the heavens opened at the Hungaroring, world champion Hamilton snatching pole with a final flying lap of one minute, 35.658 seconds.

Bottas had been sitting in provisional pole from Kimi Raikkonen, but championship leader Hamilton denied him by 0.260secs on a dramatic session with changing conditions.

.@LewisHamilton topped an incredible qualifying session 👏

Here's how he did it ⬇ #HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/0Udz9nXA00
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2018

Raikkonen had to settle for third following a poor last lap, while his Ferrari team-mate Vettel - 17 points adrift of the Brit in the title race - will start the final race before the mid-season break in fourth.

Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly secured impressive fifth and sixth spots on the grid respectively, while Max Verstappen was only seventh-fastest and Daniel Ricciardo 12th on a gloomy day for Red Bull, who had been tipped to shine in Hungary.

Vettel had been quickest in two of the three practice sessions and second in FP1, but it was the Mercedes duo that delivered on a soaked track after both Hamilton and Bottas had taken a spin at the chicane in the final practice session.

Rain came at just the right time for the Silver Arrows, with thunder rumbling around Budapest as Q1 got under way and Hamilton grasping his opportunity after heavy rain left the track sodden.

Brendon Hartley, Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean completed the top 10, with Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez coming a miserable 18th and 19th respectively a day after Force India entered administration.

Like father, like son...

🍦🇫🇮#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/I1lyUGBYn1
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2018

Bottas has the opportunity to rival teammate Hamilton. Bottas, 11 races without a win in Formula One, graciously answered questions on that decision earlier in the week, but stated that he still had license to attack Hamilton throughout the remainder of the season.

"It could have been worse. We are free to fight, so I'm looking forward to it," he reiterated at qualifying on Saturday.

And so while team boss Toto Wolff celebrated a huge session, knocking the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel into the second row, he may well have to keep an eye on his own drivers.

"If it's dry, we have to be in front at the start," Wolff told Sky Sports. "It's a very long straight, so you need to be able to hold the position and see how it pans out.

"We're going to do everything as a team in order to do that."

Q3 CLASSIFICATION

A Qualifying session for the ages in Budapest, with Hamilton splashing his way to pole, earning a 60th front row lockout for @MercedesAMGF1 💪#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/2Xi6Eb9sG3
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2018

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:35.658 2. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 1:35.918 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:36.186 4. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:36.210 5. Carlos Sainz (Renault) 1:36.743 6. Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) 1:37.591 7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:38.032 8. Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso) 1:38.128 9. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1:39.858 10. Romain Grosjean (Haas 1:40.593